Name Is One of the Oldest Words in Europe
A name identifies a person or thing. The word itself has barely changed in thousands of years.
A name is a word by which a person, place or thing is known. The word is remarkably stable across the Indo-European family: Latin *nomen*, Greek *onoma*, Sanskrit *nΔman*, German *Name*, Russian *imya* and English *name* all descend from a single ancient form. Few words have survived so many thousands of years with so little change, and it gives English *nominate*, *noun*, *anonymous* and *synonym*. A *namesake* is someone named for another, from the phrase *for the name's sake*.
- An identifying word. *Her name.*
- Reputation. *A good name.*
- To give a name. *Naming a child.*
- Namesake. *His namesake.*
- Old English β *nama*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | name | A name. |
| Verb | name | Naming. |
| Adjective | nameless | Nameless. |
| Latin | nomen | A name. |
| Greek | onoma | A name. |
- What is your name?Identity.
- He cleared his name.Reputation.
- Nomen and onoma are cousins.Etymology.
The nomen family
- Noun β a naming word
- Nominate β to put a name forward
- Anonymous β without a name
- Synonym β a name shared with another word
- Nomenclature β a system of naming
Old English *nama*, from a Proto-Indo-European root shared with Latin *nomen* and Greek *onoma*.
Why is name similar in so many languages?
Because it descends from a single Proto-Indo-European word that survived with little change into Latin, Greek, Sanskrit and Germanic.
What is a namesake?
Someone named after another person. The word comes from the phrase for the name's sake.